336 ' PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1753. 



north, quivered. The farmer called to his son, and desired him not to stand so 

 near the window, lest the lightning should hurt his eyes ; on which the young 

 man removed from the window, backwards, into the corner of the room, and 

 sat down. The lightning came from the west- north-west, and falling on the 

 stack of the kitchen-chimney, which was about 4 feet square, and as much in 

 height, of hewed stone, carried it clear off from the house, and threw it into a 

 pool of water 20 feet distant. In the chamber over the kitchen, directly beneath 

 the top of the chimney, there was a little closet boarded in ; all the boards were 

 broken to pieces, the timbers of the roof shattered ; as also the bedstead in that 

 chamber; of the chamber-partition 1 planks were forced, a large cloaths-press 

 thrown, and the south windows of the chamber-floor (excepting one casement) 

 all broken, and blown out. From the top of the chimney, and chamber-floor, 

 it descended into the kitchen below, where the family was : the farmer saw no 

 lightning, nor heard any thunder, after the first clap before mentioned ; but was 

 struck senseless with the first flash, and thrown into the middle of the kitchen, 

 and continued senseless for a quarter of an hour. As soon as he came to him- 

 self, he asked, who struck him ? but had not the use of his arms ; and felt an 

 aching pain, shooting, as he described it, into his bones ; and a brand-iron, 

 which hung in the chimney, being thrown down into the pan of water, on the 

 fire, had dashed the boiling water upon him to that degree, that his life was in 

 extreme danger for more than a fortnight after. Mrs. Olivey was struck down 

 before the hearth. Both her shoes, though buckled on as usual, were struck 

 oflf her feet ; but her feet not hurt : and being neither burnt nor senseless, was 

 able to cry out for help, but could not move ; for she had no use of her under- 

 limbs for a day and a half. 



The farmer's brother was at the end of a long table in the same room, and 

 was only flung against the wall, about 3 feet distant, not hurt. Mrs. Olivey's 

 sister was near the back door ; a plank of this door was started, and beat in : 

 she was struck senseless, and thrown 1 1 feet off" against the settle, which stood 

 against the south wall of the house. 



The farmer's son had his coat and waistcoats (for he had two on) torn into 

 shreds, so that it could hardly be distinguished where the pieces had formerly 

 joined ; his shirt had a rent 1 feet long down the back, and was scorched ; his 

 left shoe torn from his foot ; and the little toe of that foot so nearly cut off", that 

 it hung only by a bit of skin ; and he was quite dead. But though reduced to 

 this lamentable condition, as to his exterior, he was not moved from his seat, nor 

 his face at all changed : his dog was lying at his feet, dead likewise, but never 

 moved. 



The farmer's daughter received the shock in the hall ; was struck senseless, 

 but revived soon ; felt a trembling all over ; her feet tickling, and partly be- 



